Defendant Sentenced to Twenty-One Years following Argument over a Dog

DA Charme Allen announces that prosecutors in the Major Crimes Unit obtained a twenty-one-year sentence against a man who shot a roommate over an argument about a dog.  Stefen White, 35, was convicted of Second Degree Murder.  At a sentencing hearing today, Judge Hector Sanchez sentenced White to serve twenty-one years in prison without the possibility of parole.

In a two-day trial in December, Assistant District Attorneys Debbie Malone and Sean Roberts explained to the jury that on December 23, 2023, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a shooting at a residence on East Oldham Avenue.  KPD Det. Tim Riddle learned that the victim and White were both tenants at the same residence.  That evening, the two were arguing over White refusing to clean up after his dogs when White pulled a 9mm handgun and shot the victim in the chest three times.  White claimed that the victim punched him, but none of the witnesses to the shooting saw a punch and no evidence of injury corroborated this account.

“This is another tragic example of an argument escalating to violence,” said DA Allen.  “The hard work of everyone involved brought a swift resolution to this case.”

Assistant Victim Witness Coordinator Kaitlyn Smith and Legal Secretary Connie Watts aided in the prosecution of this case.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.